Speaking at the North American International Auto Show, GM's head of NorAm Ops revealed that a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) version of the Saturn Vue could appear in 2010– gazumping the much-hyped Chevrolet Volt. "For the Volt we are re-engineering an entire vehicle to be optimally designed to support the architecture," Troy Clarke told Reuters. "At the Saturn Vue we are adapting an electric drive system to an existing architecture. It's a quicker way to do it." Clarke's startling announcement– who'd a thunk GM itself would steal thunder from the much-hyped Volt?– comes complete with caveats. The PHEV Saturn Vue would use "different kinds of batteries" to run 10 miles on the power pack alone, while the Chevrolet Volt is being designed to run 40 miles before the gas engine kicks-in. "We don't want to deteriorate the capability of the Vue," Clarke insisted. "It still needs to tow 3,500 pounds, which the Volt will not do. But then the Volt will be one of the most energy-efficient vehicles in the world." Question: how many potential PHEV Vue owners care about towing? Or put it this way: a PHEV Vue owner saves gas so he/she can tow a gas-burning jet-ski or snowmobile? The mind boggles.
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I would never buy either so I could care less.
Buy one of these and you can spend less on gas getting to the lake then more while AT the lake. As an owner of a Sea Doo that’s how I would justify it (as long as the overcost made sense, which it never does for ANY hybrid).
So wait, is the PHEV Vue optimised for power and thus towing, or for fuel economy? The Vue is a heavy vehicle to begin with, and I can just imagine how heavy this PHEV Vue will be. If it’s not optimised for fuel economy, and it has such a limited EV range, what’s the point?
And then there is the issue of pricing … who wants to bet this thing will cost an arm and a leg?
I don’t get it. Why is GM spreading themselves so thin, developing so many different hybrid systems? Or are they mighty enough to be able to do it all?
I don’t get it. Why is GM spreading themselves so thin, developing so many different hybrid systems? Or are they mighty enough to be able to do it all?
They can’t even afford to consistently update their existing cars. And since these EV’s will end up spread across every brand like they do now they will have even less money to work with.
So their plan is to launch both the Volt and this in 2010 or will this be part of the excuse for why the Volt wont be ready. When does the two-mode hybrid Malibu come out?
So theoreticly in 2010 they would have the Tahoe two-mode hybrid, Vue two-mode hybrid, Vue PHEV, Volt PHEV, the Malibu two-mode hybrid, plus all the other mild hybrids currently out. Did I forget any or mix them up?
Sounds good to me. Elec. for most of the daily commute and on the weekends tow the snowmobile, PWC, and don’t forget the pop up camper or small boat. Lots of technology that can be developed and used on both vehicles. I will definitely check it out.
Sounds like a step in the right direction.
EJ: I don’t get it. Why is GM spreading themselves so thin, developing so many different hybrid systems?
Energy Uncertainty. I already posted this, but:
THE world’s biggest car maker, General Motors, believes the global oil supply has peaked and a switch to electric cars is inevitable.
In a stunning announcement at the opening of the Detroit Motor Show yesterday, GM’s chairman and chief executive officer, Rick Wagoner, said ethanol was an important interim solution to the demand for oil, until battery technology gave electric cars the range of petrol-powered cars.
…
“There is no doubt demand for oil is outpacing supply at a rapid pace, and has been for some time now,” Mr Wagoner said. “As a business necessity and an obligation to society we need to develop alternate sources of propulsion.
http://tinyurl.com/2lhkbs
who’d a thunk GM itself would steal thunder from the much-hyped Volt?
*raises hand*
If there’s one thing this site has taught me, it’s that GM is its own worst enemy.
“The PHEV Saturn Vue would use “different kinds of batteries” to run 10 miles on the power pack alone,…”
Is this a comment that they will be built with whatever’s lying around like a ’70’s International? Or does it mean that they’ll be using AA and AAA’s?
Smells like another marketing fumble a la Malibu availability. GM never misses an opportunity to take out a six shooter and fire off a few rounds into it’s huge corporate foot. At their hometown auto show no less!
What an argument for a private equity company to come in and break GM apart.
If GM could be made into a caricature, it would be a circus juggler who juggles swords and cuts his arms off.
Raskolnikov :
January 15th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Buy one of these and you can spend less on gas getting to the lake then more while AT the lake. As an owner of a Sea Doo that’s how I would justify it (as long as the overcost made sense, which it never does for ANY hybrid).
Maybe by 2010 Bombardier will have an electric sea-doo. Just plug into the cigarette lighter of the Vue to recharge in 15 minutes.
The plug-in Vue and all of the rest of GM’s many (overlapping) hybrid development programs were covered in my editorial: https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/editorials/the-truth-about-gms-hybrids/.
Redbarchetta-“or will this be part of the excuse for why the Volt wont be ready.”
Yes.
They can’t do the Volt by 2010 and they know it.
Modifying an existing vehicle to PHEV is what they CAN do by then. They will pretend they only meant to have “A PHEV of some sort” by then and the mainstream press will be too lazy to check the original quotes.
As I have said before, expect the Volt after 2013…if ever.
Cheerio,
Bunter
Does anybody know the phrase Robert is referring to in the headline to this article? If not, you can probably get the idea by googling the phrase along with “fox hunting.”
As usual no one can see that this MIGHT be a good thing for people who want a plug in hybrid. And there will be plenty…..
The haters criticize GM for not having enough hybrids on the market, or not having “real” hybrids, or not being “green” enough…
Now they’ll have a useful PHEV ready in 2010 and the haters make up reasons why its not good enough.
What if Chuck Norris teamed up with Saturn to ‘plug’ the VUE? What would you say then??
This is just another one of their two mode piggy back “hybrids” isn’t it? I’m sure it will have the same negligable fuel savings as their other offerings.
GM first talked about the plug in hybrid Vue in 2006, Wagoner’s speech at the LA Auto show (the well known one where audience members stormed the stage trying to get him to sign a pledge to make GM the fuel economy leader). In that speech he announced the Vue would get the first FWD application of the two-mode hybrid system, and that the plug in version would follow. So, basically, GM is doing what they said they were going to do two years ago. Imagine that….
Raskolnikov-To disagree with another or be skeptical of their ability/willingness to deliver on a promise is not hate.
It is simply disagreement and skepticism. For my part I hope GM does well and succeeds. I am less than convinced that they are going at it properly.
I realize I may not be the target of your thoughts. I have noticed a tendancy throughout our society to assign the word “hate” very quickly to any point of disagreement. I do not think this advances anything in a discussion and clouds the issue by labeling others with titles that they may not deserve.
A thought to consider.
Respectfully,
Bunter
“This is just another one of their two mode piggy back “hybrids” isn’t it? I’m sure it will have the same negligable fuel savings as their other offerings.”
You are confusing the 2 mode hybrid with the the BAS “mild” hybrid. The 2 mode is a split parallel system and is the real deal, with 30-50% improvement in fuel economy depending on the application.
The BAS (belt alternator starter) system, on the other hand, is a very mild hybrid that obtains its modest fuel savings from shutting down the engine at idle and some regenerative braking.
30-50%? I find that hard to beleive if all they are doing is putting an electric motor in parallel with an existing drivetrain, adding hundreds of pounds rather than making it lighter for efficiency’s sake.
Are they also saying most americans only drive 10 miles at a time? Seems whenever a car maker comes out with something that runs on batteries it’s range fits perfectly with what most americans want and yet everyone has a different number.
tankd0g
I believe GM is claiming only 25% overall MPG boost from the 2-mode system in the Tahoe.
I think they are claiming 40-50% in the city cycle.
This is from memory, no need for anyone to freak if I’m wrong.
Cheerio,
Bunter
Bunter1, that’s more or less correct.
Most of the Tahoe highway economy comes from improving the aerodynamics a little bit, possibly from an Atkinson cycle engine (I’m not 100% sure it has that) and, maybe, from different tires.
Around town, shutting the engine off when it isn’t needed makes a BIG difference, as does energy recapture from regenerative braking (every time you stop, you refill the battery with almost enough juice to re-accelerate to your former speed).
The improved aerodynamics, of course, could be applied to ANY Tahoe (wish they would!). And I believe you can’t get a roofrack on the hybrid Tahoe any more (hurts the aerodynamics).
—
The modest improvement in economy with the BAS (“mild” hybrid) system would be great except that it’s an extra $2400 (Aura example). It would be far more attractive for, say, $500 extra. It would be more impressive if it was included in the base 4-cylinder at no extra charge.
Hmmm… in fact, the real price differential is greater than the $2400 of the invoice, because the base 4-cylinder Aura comes with a $1000 incentive that the Green Line does not have.
For about the same money as an Aura Green Line, one could get a Prius.